Jeju activists seek indemnity against former Governor Oh over shipping route losses

The Jeju Participatory Environmental Solidarity has announced plans to file for a resident audit and a right of indemnity claim against former Jeju Governor Oh Young-hun. The group alleges that the opening of the Jeju-Qingdao cargo route has resulted in a significant waste of taxpayer money.

According to the group, a three-year agreement was signed in 2025 to compensate Chinese shipping companies for losses, with an annual maximum of 7.5 billion won. However, cargo volumes have failed to meet expectations. The group further claims that the project bypassed necessary local finance investment reviews required by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, despite the scale of the potential financial impact.

The environmental group intends to gather at least 150 signatures to initiate a resident audit, which could lead to a resident lawsuit to recover lost funds.